1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communication systems, and more particularly, to concepts and techniques for slicer-based demodulation.
2. Background
Peer-to-peer networks are commonly used for connecting wireless devices via adhoc connections. These networks differ from the traditional client-server model where communications are usually with a central server. A peer-to-peer network has only equal peer devices that communicate directly with one another. Such networks are useful for many purposes. A peer-to-peer network may be used, for example, as a consumer electronic wire replacement system for short range or indoor applications. These networks are sometimes referred to as Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN) and are useful for efficiently transferring video, audio, voice, text, and other media between wireless devices over a short distance.
A WPAN may provide connectivity for devices in a home or a small office or may be used to provide connectivity for devices carried by a person. In a typical scenario, a WPAN may provide connectivity for devices within a range on the order of 10 s of meters. In some applications, a portable device such as a cell phone may communicate with a headset using, by way of example, pulsed-Ultra Wide-Band (UWB) communications. Devices that consume relatively small amounts of power are generally desirable in these and other types of applications. Low power consumption in such devices allows for a small battery size and/or prolonged battery life, for example.
To this end, physical layer design approaches implementing pulsed-UWB technologies with Pulse Position Modulation (PPM), by way of example, have been utilized for low power and low complexity system design. However, the RF design required to implement such architectures faces significant challenges, such as those that stem from the analog energy detector-based PPM demodulator. Therefore, there is a need for a much simpler, low power consumption design approach.